Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This panel system relates to furniture, specifically adaptive furniture spanning childhood to adulthood.
Most furniture produced is for use exclusively by either children or adults. The problem with furniture intended for children is that it has a limited time span of use, due to styling, design and other considerations. As a child grows, the parents have a dilemma of what to do with furniture that may no longer suit their child""s needs or lifestyle, and are unable to integrate it in other areas of the home.
This panel system intends to extend the time span of use of furniture by allowing for interchangeable panels that correspond to the maturity level of the user. Panels indicate maturity of the user by finishes, materials or scenes they depict. In addition, this concept can be used to change the appearance and use of furniture in accordance with changing personal tastes, societal styles and fashions, e.g. a child will often prefer a theme in their room as his/her age changes.
Interchangeable panels are generally known in the prior art and have been used in various applications. U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,149, Malshenko, 1994, uses interchangeable panels in a children""s play structure with a limited intent of setting a theme for a play activity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,348, Cornell, 1996 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,200, Cornell, 2001, use panels in the context of office dxc3xa9cor. U.S Pat. No.5,623,800, Shinkosky, 1997, gives a system interchangeable panels for walls. U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,981, Donohue, 1976, is designed for commercial office (desk) application. U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,988, Garran, 1992 describes an ornamental crib and kit which does not refer to life-size furniture, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,463, Amos, 1984, describes an assembly for storage of articles. All are specific cases, which do not address the certain maturity changes in growing children.
To change the identity of the furniture, structural change ideas have also been advanced. U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,427, Golden, 1991, describes a convertible crib-youth bed. However this requires extensive design elements, which add complexity and cost to the item.
This interchangeable panel system applies to many types of furniture, including beds, armoirs, end tables, dressers, etc. It addresses the need to change furniture appearance as the users mature and styles change. As an example, an attractive armoir may be chosen to be integrated from a bedroom to a den or library. The mechanical aspects of this system provide for the easy change of panels.
Specifically the advantages of the present invention are;
1. provide flexibility of theme or dxc3xa9cor by use of interchangeable panels which will extend the life use of the piece of furniture.
2. provide a cost effective solution to furniture purchases allowing the maximum diversity for the least amount of money
3. provide customization of panels to suit personal taste
4. provide changeable panels which will add flexibility of use to integrate individual pieces in other areas of the home.
5. provide an heirloom piece for the family.
6. provide ease of use for the consumer to change the panels
The flexibility of interchangeable panels allows a piece of furniture to adapt to the gender and maturity level of the user, from infancy to adulthood. Further, it allows for style and decor changes in an economical manner.